Are you planning a home remodel? It’s an exciting yet challenging endeavor, especially when you don’t know where to start. Remodeling is an excellent way to modernize your home’s overall look, improve functionality, and increase its value. However, you must prioritize some areas to achieve these benefits. Here are key areas to remodel first.
Kitchen
All home remodelers will agree that the kitchen should be remodeled first. This is because it’s the heart of your home. It’s where you prepare meals, your family gathers, and entertain guests. Therefore, if it lacks functionality or feels outdated, you cannot wait any longer to update it.
Remodeling your kitchen first offers numerous benefits. First, you may be spending more time in the kitchen, depending on how you use it. One study found that an adult spends an average of 67 minutes daily in the kitchen, equivalent to more than 400 hours per year. These figures are only for those who use their kitchen for cooking only. However, if you use your kitchen for dining, laundry, or entertainment, you might be spending more time than stated above.
Another reason to renovate your kitchen first is to increase energy efficiency and save money. Remember, your kitchen has many appliances, including a fridge, microwave, and stove. These appliances might consume too much energy, especially if they are faulty or old. A kitchen remodel lets you update your kitchen appliances, minimizing energy spending.
Also, upgrading your appliances, cabinets, and countertops can make your daily cooking and meal preparations more enjoyable. Not to mention, a modern, well-designed kitchen can significantly increase your home’s resale value. However, it’s important to find a good contractor for your kitchen remodel. You can get referrals from family or friends or research online about kitchen remodeling contractors.
Bathroom
Your bathroom is another essential space in your home that should be prioritized for remodeling. Just do a quick math. How many times do you use your bathroom each day? It may be once, twice, or even more, especially during summer. Therefore, it makes sense to renovate the bathroom before going to other areas in your home. This helps you create a more functional and comfortable space.
Bathroom renovation allows you to enhance safety features. For instance, you can consider installing slip-resistant flooring, grab bars, or a walk-in shower to make your bathroom more accessible and safe. You may also reconfigure the layout, add dual sinks, or incorporate a large shower to make the bathroom more accommodating for multiple users.
Additionally, if your bathroom has plumbing issues, such as leaks, a remodel can help you address these problems before they turn into costly repairs. This also helps maintain your home’s integrity. Plus, remodeling allows you to customize your bathroom based on your needs and preferences. You can install fixtures or incorporate layouts and materials that reflect your style.
However, not all home remodelers can complete a bathroom repair. Therefore, you have to find the right professional for the job. For instance, if it’s a plumbing issue, you should ensure you find the right bathroom remodeling plumber.
Living Room
Your living room is the central hub of your home. It’s where you spend most of your time socializing with family and friends. Therefore, if you’re considering remodeling your home, you should prioritize the living room.
There are various ways you can make your living room an enjoyable place for relaxation and socializing. For instance, consider upgrading your seating arrangements and furniture to increase comfort. This includes buying new chairs, sofas, and tables.
Additionally, you can reconfigure your living room to maximize functionality. This may involve changing the room’s layout, adding more storage, or creating a designated entertainment area. You can go ahead and customize your space to suit your needs.
When remodeling your living, ensure you pay close attention to your flooring. The material and texture of your flooring will depend on the traffic the room receives, among other factors. However, ensure the flooring is slip-resistant to prevent slip and fall injuries. Also, research local roofing contractors to work on your roof and prevent leaks in your living room.
Backyard
Are you an outdoor lover? If yes, you would consider a backyard remodel before everything else. Whether for entertainment, relaxation, or fresh air, a backyard remodel can extend your outdoor living experience.
First, with a backyard remodel, you get additional living space in your home. For instance, you can create a cozy outdoor living room, kitchen, or dining area. The best part is that you don’t need much space to achieve this.
Are you wondering how to remodel your backyard? In this era, you can never run short of backyard remodeling ideas. You have the flexibility to create anything you want. But first, you need to determine your goals and then establish a budget that aligns with those goals.
The second consideration is your current backyard space. You should assess your backyard’s existing layout, features, and conditions. Identify the specific areas that need updates or repairs. Also, since it’s outdoors, consider natural elements like sunlight and shade, as they will impact your design choices. Remember, not all home remodelers will have this mind. So, it’s up to you to know how these natural elements will affect your outdoor living experience.
Also, you have to find the right outdoor remodeling company to work on your backyard remodels. Ensure your remodeler has the experience, skills, and certifications to complete this project. They should also be well-versed with the area’s regulations.
Roof
An old, damaged, or improperly installed roof can significantly impact your home’s appearance, value, and safety. A roof remodel allows you to address roofing issues, including leaks, preventing extensive and costly damage to your home’s interior.
Also, if your roof is poorly insulated, you might want to remodel it to improve your home’s energy performance. A poorly installed and insulated roof contributes to energy inefficiencies, which causes higher heating and cooling costs. Therefore, if you notice your electricity bills soaring, you might want to prioritize a roof remodel before anything else.
Additionally, a roof remodel can extend your roof’s lifespan. However, this will depend on the type of materials used and installation. High-quality roofing materials and proper installation can increase durability and longevity.
So, you might be wondering how to remodel your roof. All home remodelers can give you ideas for your roof remodel. However, you have the final say in what you want for your roof. Want some ideas?
First, consider upgrading your roofing materials. Options include asphalt shingles, clay or concrete types, wood shapes, and synthetic roofing materials. Each roofing material offers unique features and benefits. Therefore, it’s important to analyze the unique benefits of each and your budget before deciding.
If your budget doesn’t allow for a material upgrade, you can simply paint your roof to transform its appearance. However, ensure you select the right roofing paint. Also, the paint color should complement your home’s exterior.
Also, not that a roof remodel is not a project all home remodelers can complete. It can sometimes be risky depending on the type of roofing installed. Therefore, you want to ensure you hire the right remodeling services for your roofing project.
Bedroom
Many homeowners don’t give their bedrooms much thought when remodeling their homes. After all, you only go there to sleep at night. However, there are various reasons you should consider a bedroom remodel. In fact, it should be among the first rooms to be remodeled.
But why should you remodel your bedroom? The first reason is to increase the room’s comfort. Your bedroom should be a place for relaxation and personal reflection. Therefore, you want to make it more comfortable and relaxing.
Some of the upgrades needed to make your bedroom more welcoming and relaxing include buying cozy blankets, pillows, and throws. You can also invest in comfortable chairs to help you relax before going to bed. Remember, your bedroom should not only be a place to sleep. It should be more functional.
Additionally, a bedroom remodel can help improve sleep quality. While everyone sleeps, not all get quality sleep. And this is mostly because their bedrooms cannot allow them to sleep well. Therefore, when remodeling your bedroom, consider things like noise-reduction features, blackout curtains, and a comfortable mattress to create an optimal sleeping environment.
Since your bedroom is your private room, it’s important to choose a reliable remodel company for the project. Local remodeling companies are often ideal for this type of project. But you can also go beyond your local region as long as you find a good remodeling contractor.
Basement
Many homeowners have basements, but very few make good use of these hidden spaces. There is so much you can do to your basement to make it functional. It’s an additional space in your home, but only if you renovate it well.
Remodeling your bathroom can help you increase your living space. This can help you accommodate a growing family, especially if you have no funds or space to build another structure in your home. If well upgraded, your basement can host your fitness room, a home office, a home theater, or a playroom.
However, not all home remodelers can help you transform your basement the right way. Therefore, you should focus on finding a basement remodeling service that can help create the perfect design. You should also consider their experience, expertise, and knowledge of local building codes.
If you’re considering selling your home soon, a basement remodel can help increase your home’s resale value. Homes with finished and upgraded basements are more marketable and have a good return on investment. Plus, you won’t spend much time finding an ideal home buyer. In fact, the buyers will look for you.
Laundry Room
When it comes to home renovations most, if not all home remodelers often neglect the laundry room. After all, how much time do you spend in this room? It’s only four hours a week for the average family. However, your laundry room shouldn’t be dark, unpainted, and undecorated. Even if no one sees it more often than you do, you still want to make it more presentable because it’s part of your home.
If not for any other reason, you should consider remodeling your laundry room to make laundry easier. This includes creating more storage spaces for your detergents and other laundry essentials and installing sorting hampers. These upgrades will not just elevate your house but also your lifestyle.
Another reason to renovate your bathroom is to improve present and future functionality. You want to design and construct your laundry room with ease of use, ergonomics, and future needs in mind. For instance, consider installing your dryers and washers at heights that require minimal bending. Also, ensure your shelving units are easily accessible.
When thinking of a laundry remodel, consider luxury home remodeling services to increase your home’s value. This type of service focuses on making your laundry room more luxurious. Also, work with your home remodeling contractor to ensure all your needs are met.
Home Remodeling Tips
A home remodeling project can be overwhelming and challenging at the same time. Also, not all home remodelers give it the attention it deserves. Therefore, you need some insider tips to help you complete the project successfully.
Create a Budget
There’s no doubt that a home remodel can leave a dent in your wallet. This will, however, depend on the areas you choose to remodel. Regardless, you need to create a budget and stick to it. You can work with your home remodeler to create a realistic budget.
Choose the Right Contractor
Not all home remodelers are ideal for your project. Therefore, it’s important to find a contractor who not only has the knowledge and experience needed but also understands your needs. Sometimes, you may need more than one contractor for your home remodel.
Compare Costs
When remodeling your home, you don’t want to go with the first offer you find. For instance, when buying roofing materials or hiring a contractor, request and compare quotes before making a purchase or hiring. This can help you save money on your project.
Are you ready for your home remodel project? If yes, prioritize the above areas before anything else, as they are the most valuable. Note that not all home remodelers are ideal for your project. Therefore, try to find a contractor that understands your needs.